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NEW- YORK STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETf . 



twenty bushels applied in the usual form, 

 [dry bone-dust.] The crops also start more 

 quickly, and grow more rapidly. 



" 2. That the more complete the state of 

 solution or subdivision of the bones, the 

 greater the effect. Hence, when applied in 

 the liquid stale, the benefit is most apparent.' 



Other persons besides ourselves, who 

 cultivate heavy compact soils, have no 

 doubt been quite disappointed in the want 

 of effect of bone manure upon such soils, 

 compared with their admirable action on 

 lighter and more porous soils. Prof. John- 

 ston has suggested, in the following para- 

 graphs, the cause of this want of action on 

 heavy soils, and the remedy : 



§ 10. Ought any other substances to be mixed with 

 the Dissolved Bones ? 



Bones are known to exercise a comparatively 

 feeble and uncertain action upon stiff and undrained 

 clays, and it may, therefore, be reasonably asked 

 by some if the action of dissolved bones will be 

 more certain upon such soils than the bones in their 

 natural state? We may, I think, answer this in 

 the affirmative, since the principal cause of the less 

 conspicuous effect of bones upon such soils is to be 

 found in their tenacity and coldness, by which the 

 particles of bones are shut out from the air, and 

 their decomposition is retarded. 



But, inasmuch as bones do not contain the whole 

 of the substances which plants require, and as 

 some of those which are present in bones, the salts 

 of soda, for example, are in small quantity only, it 

 may be reasonably asked again if the dissolved 

 bones would not be improved, and their efficacy in- 

 creased, and rendered more sure, were an addition 

 of certain substances to be made to them. Of this 

 I think there can be little doubt, thou<ih the ne- 

 cessity and nature of such additions will depend 

 much upon the nature of the soil to which they are 

 to be applied. A small per centage of pearl ash 

 or wood ashes, of nitrate of soda, or common salt, 

 and a sulphate of magnesia — 5 lbs. each of the 

 potash and soda salts, and 10 lbs. of the magnesia 

 salt to each 100 lbs. of bones — would render the 

 mixture more suited to every soil and crop. At 

 the same time, if the soil like those formed from the 

 felspar rocks abound in potash, or like those which 

 border the sea, be rich in soda, or like those which 

 owe their origin to the slates, or to the magnesian 

 limestones, contain already too much magnesia, 

 any addition to these several substances would ob 

 viously be thrown away. The principle of adding 

 such things being recognised as sound, the know- 

 ledge and discretion ol' the farmer must be exer- 

 cised in determining how far such additions are 

 likely to be profitable, or to make a small prelimi- 

 nary experiment by way of trial. 



Among other valuable essays, we would 

 particularly notice the following : On Sub- 

 soil Ploughing, by John Mallory, of Yates 

 county ; Experiments iii FeedAng Swine^ 

 by J. M. Bacon, Bordentown, N. J.; jExpe- 

 riments in the Management of Cheese Dai- 

 ries, by Alonzo L. Fish, of Herkimer co.; 

 Experiments in Draining, by Messrs. Sfoor, 

 of Troy, and Woolsey of Long-Island ; 

 Prof. Norton's excellent chemico-agricul- 

 tural address, and an interesting paper by 

 Mr. GooDKicH, of Utica, on the potato rot. 



Besides these, there is a great deal of 

 valuable information on butter making, 

 sheep husbandry, &c. &c., besides a great 

 amount of valuable practical details of the 

 modes of growing farm crops, practiced by 

 the most successful farmers. 



There is considerable horticultural infor- 

 mation also collected in this volume. The 

 committee on fruits, who gave last year a 

 list of select apples, which they recom- 

 mended for general cultivation in this 

 state, have this year continued their labors 

 by presenting select lists of other fruits^ 

 with descriptions and figures of the same, 

 copied from our work on Fruits. We an- 

 nex a list of the sorts recommended by 

 them, that our readers may see what varie- 

 ties are most popular in the northern por- 

 tion of the state. 



Pears. — Madeleine, Bloodgood, Dearborn's 

 Seedling, Bartleit, Fondante d'Automne, Seckel, 

 White Doyenne, Swan's Orange, Louise Bonne de 

 Jersey, Stevens' Genesee, Beurre Bose, Gray Doy- 

 enne, Washington, Beurre d'Aremberg, Winter 

 Nelis, Glout Morceau, Vicar of Winktield. 



PLt;Ms. — Jefferson, Green Gage, Washington, 

 Huiing's Supurb, Schenectady Catherine, Bleeck- 

 er's Gage, Lawrence's Favorite, Columbia, Prince's 

 Imperial Gage, Coe's Golden Drop, Prune d'Agen, 

 Peach Plumb, Dcnniston's Albany Beauty, Den- 

 niston's Red. 



Peaches.— Early Tillottson, Grosse Mignonne, 

 Cooledge's Favorite, Red Rareripe, Royal George, 

 Crawford's Early, Malta, George 4th, Brevoort, 

 Morris' White Rareripe. 



Chehri^s. — May Duke, Elton, Florence, Black 

 Tartarian. 



STRAWBEHRiES.—Hovey's Seedling, Large Early 

 Scarlet, Swainstone Seedling. 



Grapes.— Isabella and Catawba. 



